The Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro should be made official on Wednesday, October 4, and we now have a better idea of how much these handsets are going to cost after some pricing information leaked out.
The Tech Outlook (via Notebookcheck) reckons that the 128GB Pixel 8 will cost €874.25, the 256GB Pixel 8 will cost €949.30, the 128GB Pixel 8 Pro will cost €1,235.72, the 256GB Pixel 8 Pro will cost €1,309.95, and the 512GB Pixel 8 Pro will cost €1,461.24.
Now, considering that the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro first went on sale for starting prices of €649 and €899 respectively, that’s quite the leap in pricing. Perhaps Google is looking to establish more of a gap from its mid-range phones (most recent the Pixel 7a, which will set you back €509).
To complicate matters, these prices include 23% VAT, suggesting they come from Ireland, Poland or Portugal. The average VAT rate across Europe is 21%, so it’s possible that the actual prices of the phones will be a little cheaper than the figures quoted here.
Price pressure
Up until now, we haven’t heard too much about the potential price points for the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro, but it seems that they’ll cost more than their predecessors. That’s maybe not surprising, considering rising costs across the globe.
Price hikes are also expected for the upcoming iPhone 15 series: these phones are due to appear before the Google Pixel handsets, and there has been talk that the iPhone 15 Pro model could cost $100 (about £79 / AU$155) more than last year’s equivalent model.
Of course, there will be hardware and software upgrades to help to justify the additional outlay. We are expecting improvements in the display department, as well as some extra AI-powered tricks to help when capturing photos and videos.
An official invite has now gone out to journalists and others in the industry, which promises additions to the “Pixel portfolio of devices” – so expect Pixel phones and quite possibly the Pixel Watch 2 as well.
